"I'm sorry," whispered Roneet.
Thunder roared across the dark sky, shaking the air.
As he wiped his tears, he suddenly noticed someone else standing a few feet away — still, silent, facing the sea.
Roneet squinted through the rain.
It was Kabir.
What is he doing here? Roneet thought, his heartbeat faltering.
Kabir stood there without a trace of emotion on his face, his shirt soaked, hair plastered to his forehead.
Then Roneet's eyes fell on Kabir's hand — he was holding a small bouquet of wilted flowers.
Flowers? Roneet wondered, confusion cutting through his fear.
Is he… planning to jump too?
The wind howled, the waves crashed harder — and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Just two silhouettes at the edge of the world.
"H-Hey, Kabir! It's dangerous here!" shouted Roneet over the roaring wind.
Kabir didn't even look at him. He just stood there, staring down at the waves, completely silent.
"Kabir?" Roneet called again, his voice rising. "He's ignoring me," he muttered, frowning.
Then his expression twisted with anger. "You ugly, trash-faced idiot — look at me when I'm talking to you! I'm done with all your high-and-mighty attitude!" Roneet shouted in frustration.
Kabir's eyes twitched, irritation breaking through his blank look. "What did you just say about my face, you ugly nerd?" he snapped. "Have you even seen yourself in the mirror? If I didn't bathe for two months and didn't shave, I'd still look better than your sorry ass!"
"What did you say!?" Roneet roared. "You're here to die anyway — I'll kill you myself!"
Roneet charged forward, fury taking over.
Kabir's eyes widened. "H-hey, idiot! We'll really fall—"
Punch!
The hit landed square on Kabir's jaw, but the wet surface betrayed them both. Their shoes slipped on the mossy edge.
"Wait—wait—!" Kabir screamed.
Thud! Thud!
Both of them toppled off the narrow pillar, but instead of plunging into the raging sea, they tumbled down the opposite side — sliding over rocks and crashing into the muddy ground below.
They landed hard, gasping for breath.
For a moment, neither moved — soaked, covered in dirt, staring up at the stormy sky.
Roneet coughed, lying flat on the wet ground. "That… actually felt good," he
muttered.
"Hey, you ugly piece of trash!" Kabir shouted, rubbing his jaw. "You dare hit me on my beautiful face?"
Roneet turned his head slowly, his glasses cracked, his voice low.
"Your beautiful face won't matter when you're dead. All humans are equal after death."
Kabir paused — then smirked bitterly. "You're probably right."
He stood up, rain dripping from his hair. "I'm going to die anyway. So before that… maybe I'll try something."
Roneet's eyes narrowed. "Try what?"
Kabir's smile widened — dark, hollow. "To see how it feels to kill someone."
For a second, Roneet felt a chill run down his spine. Then… he smiled.
"I'm going to die anyway," he said quietly, pushing himself up. He took a stance, fists up.
"You have everything I've ever wanted," Roneet said — voice trembling, yet steady.
"The looks. The body. The confidence. And still, you're here to die?"
Kabir's fist shot forward, slamming into Roneet's face.
Roneet hit the ground hard.
Kabir looked down at him, a cruel smile tugging at his lips.
"Do you really think looks and strength are all that matter?" he asked coldly. "It doesn't change a damn thing. Everything stays the same — only your problems change. The suffering never stops."
Roneet groaned, trying to get up — another kick sent him crashing down again.
Kabir sighed, frustration mixing with pity. "You know… even killing you isn't worth it," he muttered. "You should probably just die."
Roneet suddenly started laughing — low at first, then louder.
"Ha… haha… Hahahaha!"
Kabir frowned. "Is he losing it?"
Roneet's laughter grew wild. "Even if you're stronger… better-looking than me… what's the point? You're going to die anyway!"
Kabir's jaw clenched. For some reason, that hit deeper than the insults. This bastard's making me rethink my own death, he thought bitterly.
Roneet's laughter slowly faded. He looked at Kabir — tired, sincere.
Then, in a quieter voice, he said, "But… can you tell me why you're here, Kabir? Maybe I can save you. I don't want someone good-looking like you to go to waste."
Kabir froze. His anger melted away, replaced by something hollow — something heavier.
The rain blurred around him as fragments of his past began to flash before his eyes
the reason he was really here.
"I don't wanna tell you," said Kabir quietly, turning toward the sea.
"I'm sorry… for beating you. And for saying those things."
The rain had finally stopped.
"I'm not telling you why I'm here either," Roneet muttered, still angry.
Kabir gave a short laugh. "Earlier I heard you crying — begging to God like some helpless kid. Let me guess, you got bullied and beaten up? Pathetic."
"You bastard! You heard everything?" shouted Roneet, fists tightening. "At least I got bullied — but don't tell me you're here because of a girl!"
That line hit Kabir like a knife.
Roneet noticed the shift in his eyes and smirked. "That hit you, huh? Loser."
Kabir bit his tongue, thinking, Trash like him deserves to be bullied.
Then he muttered, "You wouldn't understand, you've never had a girlfriend, blockhead."
Roneet looked away. "I don't think I ever will… even if I live."
He stepped up on the pillar again, the waves roaring below.
"I-It's scary," Roneet admitted.
"H-Hey, stop — let me concentrate," said Kabir, stepping beside him.
"It'll hurt," whispered Roneet.
Kabir felt chills crawl up his neck. "Stop scaring me, idiot."
"Y-Your knees are shaking," said Roneet.
"It's… going to be painful," said Kabir softly.
Suddenly—SLAM!
A loud thud echoed behind them. Both turned instantly.
"What now?" Roneet muttered.
An old woman had fallen to the ground, her shopping bags scattered.
"Hey! Go help her!" shouted Kabir.
"Y-You help her!" said Roneet.
"Go, now!" Kabir snapped.
"O-Okay, okay, I'm going!" Roneet hurried toward her.
Kabir glanced back at the sea, then sighed. "I-I'll help too…" he murmured, stepping down.
After Kabir and I helped the old woman reach her home — a small, cozy house near the road — she thanked us again and again.
She lived with her husband, an old man with kind eyes and a soft voice.
"Come inside, you're both soaked!" she said, ushering us in.
The warmth of the room wrapped around us like a blanket. She offered us dry clothes and hot tea, which we accepted gratefully.
For the first time that night, the world felt quiet.
We sat on a small sofa in their living room. The sound of rain had faded into a soft drizzle outside.
As I took a sip of tea, my eyes wandered across the room — and stopped on a photo hanging on the wall.
It was a young man's picture, a small garland of flowers placed beneath it.
The old lady noticed my gaze and smiled faintly. "He's my son," she said. "We lost him five years ago… in an accident."
Kabir's expression softened.
"He wasn't a good person," she continued quietly. "He used to yell at us, make mistakes… but still — he was our son."
The old man looked up from his newspaper. "I just wish he was still alive," the woman whispered. "No matter how he was."
I looked down, my chest tightening. I wish I could say something… maybe tell them we'd visit again, or help somehow.
But the words wouldn't come out.
After finishing our tea, we thanked them and stepped out into the cool air.
"My mom's probably waiting," Kabir said. "I'll go home."
"Yeah," I nodded.
Kabir looked at me. "What about you?"
I hesitated, staring at the ground. "I… wasn't good to my mom and dad. I've only caused them trouble. I'm just a burden to them."
Kabir stopped walking. Then, without turning around, he said softly,
"Then start by apologizing."
I looked up, surprised.
"Stop overthinking what they'll say," Kabir continued. "They might yell, sure… but in the end, they're your parents. You're still their son."
Something in me shifted. The guilt, the fear — it all felt lighter.
"Thank you… Kabir," I said quietly. "I'll start there. I'll apologize."
Kabir smiled faintly. "Good." He looked around. "Hey… do you remember this place?"
"Yeah," I said, a bit confused. "Why?"
"Because I want to revisit them again," Kabir replied.
I couldn't help but smile. He's not a bad person after all, I thought.
"I'll go with you next time," I said.
Kabir nodded, and for the first time that night — we both walked home, not as strangers, but as two people trying to live again.
As both of them walked, they passed by a small temple of Lord Shiva.
The rain had stopped, the air was fresh, and their laughter echoed softly against the quiet street.
They smiled — not because everything was okay, but because, for the first time in a long while, it felt like it could be.
As they walked past the temple, the camera slowly zoomed in — focusing on the Shivling glistening under the dim temple light.
Was Roneet and Kabir's meeting a coincidence?
I would say no.
But they probably think so — unaware of how deeply their lives are about to intertwine, how much they'll change each other from this point on.
When good people lose their light, that's when He steps in — silently, watching over them, guiding them toward what's meant to be.
Lord Shiva always watches.
And sometimes, He sends the right person at the right moment — not as a miracle, but as a lesson.
Hi — I'm the narrator of this story.
The story of Roneet — a boy struggling to find meaning in his life, trying to fix the broken pieces of who he is.
Will he succeed?
Hmm… for that, you'll have to read ahead.